Foldable cover supported on a bearing

ABSTRACT

A cover is supported on a bearing, in particular, for an armrest, in particular for a center arm rest of a motor vehicle. The cover is characterized in that the cover includes at least a first cover part, with which a data output unit or a data input unit is moveably connected.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application relates to German Utility Model Application 203 08994.4filed 6 Jun. 2003 under 35 USC 119 and the International Convention.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a cover supported on a bearing, in particular,for an arm rest of a motor vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

From German patent document 198 24 248 filed 29 May 1998 by C. Lange etal., a covering or a cover with a plurality of surface elements that aredisplaceably guided in a guide is known, which can be brought from aclosed into an open position. This covering can be used, for example, tocover a center console between the two front seats of a passengervehicle.

From U.S. Pat. No. 6,129,237 filed 16 Nov. 1998 by Miyahara, a two-partcover is known, in which a first cover part is connected with a bearingvia a first pivot shaft. On the first cover part, a second cover part isconnected via a second pivot shaft. In addition, the second cover partis guided via guide rails into the bearing part.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to produce a cover, which has abroadened functionality relative to known covers or coverings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, this object is solved with a coverof the above-described type, in which the cover includes at least onecover part, with which a data output unit and/or a data input unit ismoveably connected.

As a “cover” in the sense of this application, also all types of fixedand immovable coverings are to be understood, on which a data inputand/or output unit is moveably mounted.

In particular, such a cover has the advantage that it can be inserted ona center console of a passenger vehicle. When the cover additionally isformed to be folded-away or folded, the data input and/or data outputunit can be brought into a plurality of positions.

Advantageous further embodiments of the invention are provided in thedependent claims and from the description.

A cover is advantageous, in which the first cover part is pivotablysupported, relative to the bearing, via a first pivot shaft.

Preferably, the cover includes a second cover part, which is joined withits first end via a second pivot shaft to the first cover part and canbe folded away together with the first cover part at least untilformation of an acute angle between the first and second cover part.

In a further preferred form of the invention, the data output unitand/or the data input unit is connected via a first swivel joint or ahinge shaft or pivot shaft with the first cover part or with the secondcover part. In this manner, an additional flexibility with the use of adisplay screen or monitor is achieved.

Another form of the invention is advantageous, in which the data outputunit and/or the data input unit is moveable over the first swivel jointin the same pivoting plane as the first cover part.

Preferably, the cover has a second swivel joint, via which the dataoutput unit and/or the data input unit is moveable on the first coverpart in a further pivot plane.

For increasing the flexibility, in another embodiment of the invention,the first cover part includes an intermediate piece, which is pivotablyarranged about the second pivot shaft. In this case, advantageously, thedata input unit and/or the data output unit is connected with theintermediate piece.

Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the data input unit and/orthe output unit is connected via a swivel joint with the intermediatepiece and is moveable by means of the swivel joint in the furtherpivoting plane.

When the data input and/or data output unit that is moveably connectedwith the cover includes a display screen or a display, the possibilityis offered, in particular, for rear passengers in the passenger vehicle,for watching pictures and films. Since the data input unit and/or theoutput unit can be adjusted by means of the second swivel joint alsoabout the perpendicular or approximately perpendicular axis, the datainput and/or output unit also can move in a position, from which avehicle occupant in the front row of the vehicle can be shown data, inparticular, images, such as, for example, city map or road map.

Basically, the invention can be used not only for center consoles orcenter armrests, but also for the armrests facing the outer walls of thevehicle. Likewise, the vehicle also can have multiple seating rowsarranged behind one another.

Likewise, the invention relates in one advantageous embodiment to acover, in which the data input unit and/or the output unit, in thefolded-away state, faces toward a bearing of the first cover part withits side having a display screen or a display or with its side havingcontrol elements. In this manner, head injuries to vehicle occupants inthe event of an accident by the display screen are avoided. A furtheradvantage is that the display screen or the display is protected fromdamage and contamination. It is to be understood that the displayscreen, however, also can be arranged on the side facing away from thebearing and facing toward the user on the cover part. This embodiment,then, is particularly suited when, based on sufficiently greaterdistances between the display screen and the vehicle occupants, a riskof injury by the display screen can be excluded anyway.

When the data input and/or output unit is arranged on a folded-togethercover, this has the advantage that by the separation of the cover intotwo cover parts and by means of the hinge arranged between the coverparts, the spatial length of the cover in the opened state, that is, theupwardly folded state of the first cover part, is halved, since thesecond cover part is folded together with the first cover part, wherebythe cover is folded. In addition, in the upwardly folded-togetherposition of the cover, a good accessibility to the data input and/ordata output unit, in particular, for the rear passengers, is possible;above, all, the display screen is found in the eye height of the rearpassengers.

As far as the upwardly folded-together cover and projecting displayscreen within a passenger vehicle being an interference or restrictingvisibility, it can be folded out upwardly by means of the swivel jointalso from the closed cover.

Of particular advantage is a stop or latching mechanism for holding thecover in an opened state. In particular, a latching mechanism issuitable, which closes the cover according to the so-called Push-Pushprinciple. In this regard, for example, a pin cooperating with aheart-shaped curve and attached to the carriage is suitable, throughwhich the first and the second cover part are stopped in thefolded-together position, when the user displaces the front cover partagainst the spring force rearwards, until the folded-together positionof the cover is achieved. By repeated pressure on the front wall of thefirst cover part or on the top side of the first cover part, then, thecover is returned again into the position, in which the covers folded onone another form an essentially flat surface. In this manner, anautomatic closing process is achieved.

In order to enable an agreeable serve of the cover, preferably amechanism for deceleration of the pivoting movement, in particular, asilicon brake, is applied on the swivel joint. This mechanism, then, canbe used above all when the cover returns from the folded-togetherposition into the folded-away from one another, level base position.

When according to an embodiment of the invention, the cover parts have aconnected covering or skin in the region of the first hinge on its topside, in the folded-away state of the cover, the effect of anindividual, connected component is determined, whereby the value of thecover is increased.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above an other objects, features, and advantages will become morereadily apparent from the following description, reference being made tothe accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section of a bearing and cover joined tothis via a swivel joint with a first and a second cover part in thestate of being folded away from one another with a display screen in thefolded state;

FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal section of the bearing according to FIG. 1with the cover in the folded-together state and with the display screenin the opened state;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the cover in the folded-togetherstate with the display screen in the folded state from above; and

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the cover in the folded-togetherstate with the display screen in the open state.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION

A center console 1 (FIG. 1) of a motor vehicle has a bearing 2. On this,a cover 5 is pivotably supported in the direction of a double arrow Avia a first pivot shaft or hinge shaft 31 and a hinge arm 4 supported ina swivel joint or a hinge receptacle 3.

The cover 5 comprises two cover parts 8, 9. Both cover parts 8, 9include, respectively, an underside bearing part 10 or 11 with bearings12, 13, which are connected via a structure with ribs 14, 15 withrespective underside coverings 16, 17. On the bearing 12 of the coverpart 8, a top-side covering 18 is applied. On this, a front side,actuation surface 19 is provided; by the operating pressure of the useron the actuation surface 19, against the spring force, a pressure springacting on the pivot shaft 31, the cover 5 is displaced rearwards in thedirection of the swivel joint 3, whereby the cover parts 8 and 9simultaneously move upwardly in a region of a pivot or hinge shaft 26(FIG. 2) connecting them.

On the cover part 9, a monitor 21 is mounted on the top side in a frame20. In the closed state, the image side 22 of the monitor 21 facestoward the bearing 13. On its back side, the monitor 21 is held by meansof a housing 23, which surrounds the frame 20 and has a covering 24,formed like the covering 18.

In addition to the bearing part 11 including the monitor 21, the coverpart 9 includes an intermediate part 25, which is connected, like thebearing part 11, via at least one mounting link, preferably, viamultiple mounting links 40 (FIG. 3, 4) with the pivot shaft, via whichthe cover part 8 is pivotably connected to the cover part 9.

The cover part 8 has a hinge shaft 27 or a hinge pin on its front end,which are rotatably supported in a carriage 28. The carriage 28 haslateral projections (not shown), which engage in corresponding contourson the bearing 2, such that the front end of the cover part 8 isglidingly guided in the bearing 2.

With the assistance of the carriage 28 (FIG. 2), it is possible to closeor “fold” the cover 5. In this manner, the cover part 8 achievessimultaneously a shifting movement and a pivoting movement about thehinge pin or the penetrating hinge shaft 17 upwardly. Thus, the coverpart 9 is pivoted about the swivel joint 3 as well as about the pivotshaft 26 upwardly, until the carriage 28 is pressed against a stop 29.The stop 29, for example, is formed as a heart-shaped curve, so that thecarriage 28 travels back by means of new pressures against the actuationsurface 19 again in its starting position, until the cover 5 covers thebearing 1 again in its flat position.

In addition to the mounting link or links 40, the intermediate part 25also engages mounting links 30 belonging to the cover part 9 on thepivot shaft 26. In this manner, the intermediate part 26 is moveableindependently from the cover part 8. Together with the intermediate part25, also the monitor 21 is moveable, so that it is pivoted, as shown inFIG. 2, from its position 25′, in which it is positioned with its imageside 22 in the direction of the bearing 13 into a position 25″ upwardlyin the direction of a double arrow B. In the position 25″, the imagesurface 22 of the monitor 21 lies free, so that representations can bedisplayed on the image surface 22.

In addition, for pivotability about the pivot shaft 26, the displayscreen 21 also is rotatable the swivel joint 33, so that a rotation inthe direction of a double arrow C is achieved. In this manner, theposition of the display screen 21 can be adapted as desired to theseating position and the eye height of the respective observers to aback seat of the passenger vehicle or to one of the front seats.

On the side of the display screen 21, additionally, a control unit ismounted, which can be attached approximately to the frame 20. In orderto achieve a movability of the cover 5 with a high degree of comfort, anarced toothing on the hinge arm (not shown) cooperates with a siliconbrake 32. Through the invention, therefore, a cover that is adjustableand pivotable on all sides is produced. Instead of an embodiment withthe pivot shaft 26 folding together with the pivot axis of the dataoutput and/or data input unit, in an alternative embodiment, it isprovided also that the pivot shaft is integrated in the intermediatepiece 25 or at another position of the cover part 9, whereby, then,additionally a further swivel joint, like the swivel joint 33, isprovided, in order to move the data output and/or data input unit in afurther plane. The swivel joint 33 can be embodied also as aball-and-socket joint.

1. A cover supported on a bearing for a center arm rest of a motorvehicle, wherein the cover includes at least a first cover part withwhich a data unit is moveably connected, the first cover part beingpivotally supported relative to the bearing by means of a first pivotshaft a second cover part which is joined at a first end to the firstcover part by means of a second pivot shaft and can be folded awaytogether with the first cover part at least until formation of an acuteangle between the first and the second cover parts.
 2. The cover definedin claim 1 wherein the data unit is connected with the first cover partor with the second cover part by means of the second pivot shaft.
 3. Thecover defined in claim 2 wherein the data unit is movable by means of aswivel joint in a common pivoting plane as the first or the second coverpart.
 4. The cover defined in claim 2 wherein the data unit is movableby means of a swivel joint in a different pivoting plane from the firstor the second cover part.
 5. The cover defined in claim 1 wherein thatthe first cover part includes an intermediate piece which is pivotablydisposed about the second pivot shaft.
 6. The cover defined in claim 5wherein the data unit is connected with the intermediate piece.
 7. Thecover defined in claim 6 wherein the data unit is connected with theintermediate piece by means of a swivel joint.
 8. The cover defined inclaim 1 wherein the data unit includes a display.
 9. The cover definedin claim 1 wherein the data unit faces toward a bearing of the firstcover part in the folded together state with a side having a display orwith a side having control elements.